Ball catching and throwing racket



June 12, 119323 A. GLINCHIKOFF I BALL CAFICHING AND THROWING RACKET Filed July 20 1921 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented June 12, 1923.

ALEXANDER G-LINCHIKOFF,

OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

BALL OA'DCHING AND THROWING BASKET;

Application filed July 20, 1921. Serial No. 486,030;

To all Ti /107% it may concern:

Be it known that I, Annxanona GLIN Hi- KOFF, a citizen of Russia, residing at Stockton, county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball Catching and Throwing Rackets; and I do declare the following to. be a full, clear, and exact de sc-riptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for catching, holding and throwing balls, such as are used in athletic games of various kinds,

The principal obj ectof my invention is to provide a device for the purpose indicated, which is adapted to be held in either hand, and which will positively trap and hold a ball thrown at the device without the use of the other hand, and may also be used 'to instantly expel and throw the ball, with what ever velocity the operator may desire, without first removing the ball from the device or manually handlingit in any way.

Once caught, the ball is automatically trapped, and can only be forcibly expelled by a sweeping stroke imparted to the device by the arm of the user, which imparts centrifugal force to the ball.

At the same-time, the ball may be readily extracted by the fingers of the other hand in the event that it is not desired to throw the same. i

in any games in which the catching and throwing of balls forms a major part of the game, and in which it is essential that the ball, once caught, shall not be accidentally dropped.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly eifective" Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.

The device is therefore adaptable for use Fig. 3 is an outline diagram showing the catching of a ball.

Fig. 4 is a. similar viewshowing the expelling of a ball.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on a line 55v of Fig. 1, showing one of the spring controlled catching fingers.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference-on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a handle of suitable form, fixed onto which and projecting upwardly therefrom is a rigid band 2, preferably cir-v cular in form, the handle extending radially thereto.

Mounted radially onto blocks 3 fixed on the inside of the band .2 adjacent the outer edge thereof and projecting toward the cen ter thereof is a plurality of rigid fingers i which are hinged to the blocks in such a manner that they can only move away from the outer edge or face of the band, as shown in Fig. 5, these fingers being normally held in a common plane by means of springs 5. The inner ends of these fingers terminate short of each other as shown in-Fig. 2 to outline an opening smaller in diameter than the ball 6 which the device is intended to catch.

Fixed onto thehandle 1 behind the band and projecting upwardly therefrom at spaced intervals are flexible pins 7 of any desired material and cross-sectional shape, these pins being so formed and placed relative to the band '2 as to outline and enclose a substantially semi-spherical area, considering the plane of the band as. the vertical diametrical plane of the sphere. Directly behind the band and fixed to the back of the handle are guide forks 8, positioned intermediate the pins 7, which for their lower portions are curved to follow the semispherical contour previously described in common with the pins 7, but which above the plane of the axis of the band project upwardly thereabove.

The pins and forks are all so spaced relative to each other that the ball cannot pass therebetween. The pins 7 at their upper ends terminate short of each other and have upwardly projecting fiat springs 9 secured thereto, these springs, together with the band and forks, outlining an opening somewhat smaller than the ball and give to the latter a determined direction of flight.

The pins 7 may if desired be replaced or supplemented by a wire mesh member or some similar structure enclosing an area similar in shape to that outlined by said ms. c p In order to reduce thesize of the opening left between the band, pins and forks, a wire 1O may be placed about the same, preferably at a point adjacent the major axis of the area enclosed, the length of this wire being 1 capable of being varied by means of adjustment nuts 11' or other means mounted on the band, the wire itself'being preferably held in proper alinement by grooved guides 12 on the pins and forks. Inthismanner the outlet maybe made to accommodate balls of various sizes.

swinging stroke of the arm of theoperator,

which causes, the ball to move against the guide forks toward the outlet, the force im parted thereto causing the pins and springs therearound to spread sufiiciently to allow the escape of the ball. If it is not desired to so expel'the ball, it may be removed by merely withdrawing thesamethrough the outlet withthe fingers of the other hand.

In ordinary use however, the catchingand throwing of the ball may follow each other in rapid .sequence,without the necessity of manually handling the ball and having very oftento stop and take a new grip on the same after it has been caught.

' With my device, no special preparation is necessary for throwing the ball.

' i From the foregoing description it Will be readily seen that I have produced such adevice as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.= 7

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit-of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention," what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Aball catching and-throwing racket comprising a handle,a ball enclosing structure fixed thereon, an intake opening for the enclosure whereby to permit a ball to enter the same, an outlet from said enclosure positioned in a plane at right angles to the plane of the intake, fingers projecting into the intake opening andadapted toyield onlyin the direction of the enclosure, and springs spaced about the outlet and projecting upwardly therefrom, these springs outlining an opening normally smaller than a ball being used. 1 I

2. A ball catching and; throwing racket comprising a handle, .arigid continuous band projecting from theupper end of the handle inthe plane thereof, guide forks fixed to the handle and projecting upwardly" a certain distance from and behind the band,

pins between the forks and the edges of the band,said pins forks and band defining a substantially semispherical area, the forks and pins terminating "short of each other and of the bandadjacentthe upper'end of the latter whereby to form an outlet fora ball, springs fixed to 'thepins and proj ecting upwardlyv therefrom and arranged to normally outline a smaller area than 'that'at the diameter ofa ball,-and fingers projecting into the area' outlined bythe band and arrangedto yield inwardly only, to allow a ball-to pressagainst and pass into the enclosure- W '1 In testimony whereof I aflix my si nature.

" ALEXANDER GLINCHI OFF. 

